Breath of the Wild
by Thalassa Promise
Summary: When Link awakens in a strange chamber, he finds he remembers nothing about the circumstances that brought him there. He soon learns the ruin he finds has been brought upon by an entity known as the "Calamity Ganon", a threat to the past, present, and future. Lost in this new world, Link must learn to adapt to a new era if he ever hopes to save the kingdom of Hyrule.
1. Call of the Wild

"Open your eyes…"

The words were distant and drummed on the inside of Link's head, echoing around but not really meaning anything. They were just words, floating in an endless abyss of black. He was warm, and could have been floating for all he knew. In fact, he didn't know anything, just those words and the feeling of warmth.

"Open your eyes…"

The words came again, this time entering Link's mind as if from a voice, one he thought he knew. It was soft, gentle, and comfortingly familiar. He tried to think of the last time he'd heard of a voice, the last time he'd done anything. The thought of action and the attempt to form memories seemed to stir something within him. It was that fleeting feeling of slipping out of sleep and back into reality, but it was much more tangible. He felt as though he was coming up for air after having been swimming for a long time. For the first time in a while, he could remember breathing, he could feel the air's weight on his chest and its chill entering his throat. His eyelids fluttered, heavy and awkward, only allowing him a fraction of a second of sight. The harshness of light entering his pupils for the first time in ages blinded him, being the force that made his eyes shut more than their lids' weight.

"Wake up, Link…"

The voice again, though he couldn't remember it. It frustrated him. It was so familiar, and felt so reassuring, like it was a voice he had been waiting to hear for a very long time. So why could he not figure out who it was? The more he tried to think, the more aware of himself he became, and the more he realized he'd forgotten. Where was he? How had he gotten here? Curiosity forced his eyes open again, slowly this time, letting the light in bit by bit. Gradually, the world came into focus.

It was very dark, and still he had no recollection of where he was. He didn't remember falling asleep, in fact he remembered little else than his name, and the familiarity of that voice. Those thoughts were lost to the back of his mind as he took in the pulsating blue lights above him, beating rhythmically and reassuringly. It soothed him, helping his body to loosen and eventually getting him to the point where he could sit up.

He looked from his resting place to see some sort of cavern walls. They were a strange mixture of cave-like and intentionally molded and built upon, with some being slick and marble-like. What was this place? Carefully, he braced his hands against the bed he rested in, itself a strange rock structure filled with that pulsing blue light, forcing himself upright. Link looked back at the bed and took in the strange symbol upon it: it looked like an eye with a single tear drop. That, too, felt familiar, but he could not recall why. He grit his teeth gently. Why couldn't he remember anything?

Twisting his neck from side to side to stretch it, he looked around more. The room was rather barren, aside from another strange structure by a wall. Again motivated by his curiosity, he slung one leg over the side of the bed, then the other. The room felt much cooler once he was out of his nest, though how a carved-out rock could be so warm and comfortable he couldn't figure out. He stretched, hearing his limbs crack and moan as though he hadn't moved in eons. He froze at the thought. _Eons_. Why had he thought that? He was one for exaggeration sometimes, but that particular thought had struck him a lot more strongly than it should have. What did that mean? How long, exactly, had he been sleeping? And why in such a strange place?

Link's eyes fell back on the other odd structure. Perhaps it held the answers, though he expected to find nothing more than perhaps another strange bed. As he crossed over to the stalagmite, he glanced around to find there was no apparent way to get out of the cavern. How had he even gotten in here, then? He shuddered at the thought, wondering if perhaps during his sleep the way out had collapsed on itself. Would he be stuck here forever? No, he knew he was more resourceful than that. He'd figure out something.

He came to the stalagmite and folded his arms over his chest, realizing for the first time he was in naught but his underwear. No wonder his skin felt clammy; the cavern, outside of his bed, wasn't the warmest place he could remember being (not that that was saying much, since this was currently the only room he could remember). Shaking his chill to the back of his mind, he looked upon the stone and saw something was placed upon it. Through its design, which matched that of the headrest in his bed, the same blue light from everywhere else in the room streamed through in a rhythmic beat. Though it was small, rectangular, and otherwise unimpressive, Link was enticed to touch it, and so reached out to grab it.

"That is a Sheikah Slate."

The voice came so abruptly that he nearly fell over in his attempt to spin around and find the source. However, no matter where he looked, no one was anywhere to be found. He frowned, but turned back to the slate.

"Take it," the voice encouraged. "It will help guide you after your long slumber."

Long slumber? So it had been an unnatural sleep. Perhaps that was why his memory was so hazy. Whoever this voice was in his head, she definitely knew more about things than he did. As it was the only thing he could communicate with – albeit one-sidedly – he decided to trust it, and reached out to pick up the slate.

It was warm in his hand, and seemed to pulse in his palm as if greeting him. A small smile pulled on the corner of his mouth, and he took the strap hanging from it to fasten it over his shoulder and around his hips. It fit comfortably there, and while he was pleased, he was still confused on how to go anywhere but here (wherever here was).

"Hold the Sheikah Slate up to the pedestal. That will show you the way."

Link's brow furrowed. Hadn't he just released the slate from a pedestal? That was when he noticed yet another stalagmite on his right several paces away. He shrugged to himself and decided there was no harm in obeying the voice. If this was a trap, well, at least something would get interesting.

With no hesitation, he freed the Sheikah Slate from his waist and tapped it against the smooth face of the pedestal. Almost immediately, the room began to rumble. Link practically dropped the slate in his attempt to put it back on his hip, ready to jump out of the way of falling rocks if need be. However, rather than anything bad happening, the wall in front of him began to move downward, letting a small sliver of white light to come bursting into the room. It cut into Link's eyes, making him hiss and squint them to mere slits. As his eyes adapted and the rumbling of the room stopped, he found the wall had opened to reveal a passageway.

The passage was filled with ornate pillars and other marble-like structures, similar to the ones in the room Link had just left. There were rocks here and there, all covered in dust and wedged into place as though they had been left undisturbed for quite some time. Again he couldn't help but wonder just how long he'd been in that room, although it was now apparent to him that he hadn't been trapped inside. Rather, it seemed, something else had been kept out.

The light was blocked by a large stone before him, and over its edge, Link could make out the exit to the cave just barely if he stood on his toes. So that was his destination then. His muscles twitched excitedly, ready to exercise for the first time in a while. He was eager to feel the air burn the back of his throat and the wind to pull his hair out of his face. Before he could even think to surmount the wall, however, he noticed something else in the passageway.

If he hadn't been so hyper-aware of all his senses being newly awakened, he might not have noticed the decrepit, old trunk tucked in the corner. It was absolutely covered in dust, but that did not stop him from kneeling beside it and wriggling his fingers in between its lid and body. With a wooden _creak_ it opened, and inside he found a folded piece of cloth. Curious, Link pulled it out and let it fall open, revealing it to be a rather tattered old cream-colored shirt with blue detailing near the collar. It felt familiar to him. Had he put his clothes away here when he'd come to go to sleep? It seemed like an odd place to leave his clothes, so perhaps not. Either way, something was better than nothing, so he slipped the shirt on, ignoring the fact that the sleeves were shredded and loose threads tickled him everywhere.

Now this wasn't bad, but if he could find some pants and shoes he would really be feeling better. He scanned the passageway, sure that whoever had decided to leave him clothes would have left him a full set. Sure enough, on the opposite side of the pathway was another chest. He opened it much like the first, and to his delight found a pair of brown pants and brown shoes. The shoes looked like they had no sole left and the pants were torn all over the place, but again, this was better than nothing. Link tried not to laugh when he pulled on the pants to find they barely reached past he knees, but he supposed beggars couldn't be choosers. Besides, any kind of shoe would help him get over that rock.

Much more confident now in his abilities than before, and a good deal more comfortable, he again turned to the rock blocking his path. He took a deep break, focusing as much energy as he could to his legs, and jolted forward. With a great leap, he managed to clutch the top edge of the rock and dug his feet into its side. It was much easier to pull himself up than he'd thought it would be, and it seemed that among all the things he'd forgotten, his own strength was one of them.

He straightened himself out, now looking at the exit of the cave just before him. The world waited just outside, and he was eager to get to it. He took a few steps forward, about to break into a run when the voice in his head spoke again.

"Link…" it said, making him stop in his tracks. "You are the light – our light – that must shine upon Hyrule once again."

Hyrule? Was that where he was? He smirked softly. Well, at least now he had a name to put to the place. It sounded quite regal. He could get used to that.

"Now, go…"

The wind picked up, sweeping into the cave and slipping behind Link, pulling him forward. He didn't need to be told twice. Taking a deep breath, his eyes became alight with excitement and he raced forward, ready to see what waited for him outside the cave.


	2. A Strange Encounter

For the first time in ages, he emerged from the darkness. The air was crisp, and the sound of rustling grass and leaves reached him like a welcoming greeting. He couldn't stop himself; the smirk he'd worn grew into a greater smile and he picked up his pace. In a full run now, the cavern fell behind him, a pure blue sky opening up above him. Clouds dotted its azure expanse like flowers in a field, mirroring in white and blue what he saw all around him on the ground in greens and yellows. A ledge jutted out before him, and he let his feet take him toward it. He was pulled by the wind, enticed by the trees, and ushered by the grass. Just at the peak's edge he came to a stop, his toes creeping over its side. Below him was a sea of trees and lush plant-life for as far as his eyes could see. Beyond were mountains covered with snow and lakes and rivers and even a few buildings. Perhaps Link didn't not know what "Hyrule" was or how he'd gotten there, but all the same, it was beautiful.

He was surrounded by the calm chirping of birds, the gentle bubbling of a stream, and the whistling of the wind. It was the calmest he'd been since waking up, even though the sight of so much invigorated him. All seemed serene and peaceful, and he wondered why he'd elected to be locked up in a cave for so long. If this was what he'd been missing, why would he have ever chosen such a path? There were a lot of questions, and no one to answer them. His fingers traced the edge of the Sheikah Slate; perhaps this would be the thing to guide him.

But where to begin? Maybe the buildings would be the best place to go to first. One in particular caught his attention, a huge structure with spires coming off each of its corners. It had to be important for some reason or another, but the closer he looked at it, the more concerned he grew. It seemed to be in about the same state as the cavern he'd emerged from, more like a ruin than a functioning building. In fact, any structure he could see from his perch seemed to share those characteristics. Had something happened here?

No, it couldn't be. Everything was far too grandiose and bright to be in turmoil. And yet… looking around, he did not see people. Perhaps he was just in an area with few people. He needed to hear someone's voice outside of his head, he needed to be sure he wasn't going insane. So some building was going to be his destination, for better or for worse.

Link started down the small mountain, carefully placing each step to be sure he didn't slip off the edge. He got his footing and picked up the pace, eager to hopefully find someone that could answer just a few of his questions. He tried a few times to get the voice in his head to come back, but no matter what he tried, it was silent. He couldn't explain it, but he missed the voice. He had only heard it a few times, but it was so soothing, so refreshing… He hated not having it around. But what could he do to get it back?

As he walked, he fiddled with the Sheikah Slate. It didn't seem to do anything but pulsate with that blue light. He tried waving it around and holding it up to different objects, but nothing changed. It just continued to stare at him with its cold, blue eye. Just as he reattached it to his hip, there was a light crumbling sound and the dirt beneath his foot gave way.

Link slid to his side, but he couldn't stop his momentum as he slid off his path and down the side of the mountain. He grabbed desperately at the grass, finally finding a root that would hold his weight. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to a stop and pushed his way up on the side of the cliff as best he could. He sighed. If he let go of the root, he would keep sliding down until he found something to fall off of, because there was no good footing below, and no flat surfaces to stop him. He looked up, seeing the path he'd fallen from nowhere near enough for him to jump to. The path did move its way downward, and was much more reachable a little to his right. If he could get his momentum going on the root, perhaps he could swing and jump to it…

Before he could make any definite decision, a strange, garbling sound caught his ears. Carefully, he leaned forward to look over the edge of the cliff he was practically dangling from. Down several feet below were some strange, red-skinned creatures. Their ears were about half the size of their faces and they had squashed noses, and wore nothing but a loin cloth. There was two of them, and they were chattering at each other as their ugly snouts bounced up and down, sniffing the air. Even from up where he was, they looked to be roughly Link's size, and they didn't seem too friendly.

He had leaned too far and too long, and the root he was holding lurched forward several inches. Link gasped and pulled himself back, luckily not breaking loose from the cliff. However, the struggle had loosed some debris and the sound he made had fell into the ears of the strange creatures below. They squawked and looked around, and finally their ice blue eyes locked with his own.

They screeched a terrible sound and ran to the cliff's edge, doing something Link couldn't see. Whatever it was, he didn't want to depend on it being good. Now was the time to get back to the path, and before the monsters could try anything tricky. Pushing off on the wall, he walked himself as far to one side as he could, then let himself drop back the other direction. He swung back further than he'd thought, but still not close enough to try jumping to the path's edge.

Below, the monsters had finished their preparations. One now brandished a wooden club, which it waved wildly in Link's direction, and the other had a pile of moderately sized rocks. Link looked down at them just in time to see a stone being lobbed at his face, and he turned his head quickly so it collided dully on the back of his skull.

His vision blurred and his head throbbed, and inwardly he kind of wanted to jump down there and throw some rocks right back at that monster. He did realize that making that drop could very well break his legs, and even then he had nothing to defend himself with, and that other monster with the club could make quick work of him. Link restrained himself to just rocking back and forth on the root, making progress little by little. The monsters kept chucking rocks at him, usually missing, but every now and then a good shot would hit him in the side or leg, throwing him off balance even if just a little.

The root moaned under the stress, and he couldn't be sure how much more strain it could take. He was going to have to subject himself to being hit with rocks for forever, falling to a much more terrible fate, or take a chance and jump at the ledge. The choice was obvious, and as he swung away from the path one last time, he put everything he had into running alongside the cliff wall and drove himself forward.

As he reached the end of the arc, the root finally gave way, ripping free of the dirt. Just barely, Link was able to push off the wall and launch himself forward, just his fingertips latching onto the flat edge of the path. He scrambled, kicking his legs to keep himself from slipping back down. The monsters below cheered wildly, and their rock throwing increased. Clenching his jaw, Link did his best to ignore the stones' impacts and pulled himself over the ledge.

He laid there a moment in the middle of the path, breathing heavily, not necessarily from the physical effort, but more of the suspense. He felt… so alive. Despite the pounding in his head from the blood rushing to his brain, he was excited to be taking risks again. Again? He shook his head to himself. He needed to stop thinking so hard. There was no point in asking himself more questions until he got some answers to the first few.

Once he'd caught his breath, Link stood up and peered over the cliff to see the monsters shaking their fists and weapons at him. He laughed and kicked some stray rocks at them, but he had been made aware of how desperately he needed a weapon. Perhaps that would be his first goal, and then he would go looking into the buildings.

Staying firmly in the middle of the pathway this time, he soon came across a plateau with several trees. It wasn't much, but if he could take a branch from one, that would do as a weapon until he could find something better. He found a low-hanging branch and began to give it a few shakes to break it free. In his efforts, apples from above dropped down, hitting the ground with a satisfying _plomp!_ As he snapped a large branch from the tree, Link looked down on the red fruit and his stomach roared. It must have been a while since he'd last eaten, he figured, so he decided to treat himself for making it this far.

He sunk his teeth into the fruit, its tart, juicy flesh setting his taste buds alight. It was sweeter than anything he remembered, and both quenched his thirst and satiated his hunger. The apple was nothing more than a core within seconds, and he wiped the remnants of the snack from his lips with the back of his hand before securing his new weapon on the strap across his back that supported the Sheikah Slate.

He could've eaten more, but he had to remember his goals. He could eat all the apples in the world once he knew what exactly was going on in this world, and what his place was in it. He continued down the hill, still smacking his lips from the apple he'd eaten. He couldn't get its taste out of his mind, and he now wondered if he should have tried to bring some along. He didn't want to weigh himself down, and surely there'd be more things to eat along the way, but he couldn't help but want more apples at that moment.

At first he thought his mind was tricking him when he smelled the same sweetness that the apple had given off when he'd bitten into it, but as he continued and the scent got stronger, he could tell it wasn't just in his head. Somewhere, there were more apples, but they were different. How else would he be able to smell them from a distance?

So focused on the scent was Link that he almost strode right into a hollow he had not noticed coming around the corner. If it weren't for the humming of another person, he might have walked right in, but the sudden sound of another human being made him stop dead in his tracks and press himself up against the wall in hiding. Cautiously, Link peeked his head around the corner in time to see a large, older man with a black cloak and hood over his head standing beside a fire. He held something in his hands, and Link could tell the enchanting smell was coming from his direction.

As the old man hummed, he shifted from side to side, revealing to Link a skillet filled with different fruits. _He was baking them_. And they smelled so sweet! Link's mouth watered and he wanted nothing more than to walk right in and take some, but not only was that terribly rude, but he also wasn't sure who this man was. With monsters being so nearby and this man being so carefree, how could he be sure this old guy wasn't working with them in some way?

The elder flipped the skillet, sending the fruit flying in the air, and he caught them again with ease. He repeated this a few times with almost no effort, and Link edged forward. _Crack_. He had edged too far forward and stepped on a twig, snapping it in two. He immediately retreated behind the wall, knowing the man would be looking toward the sound. Instinctively, he put a hand on his stick, just in case.

Rather than silence, however, he heard grumbling. Link's brow furrowed, but as he began to look around the corner again, he found something red rolling past the hollow's side. It was one of the baked apples! Link was overcome with joy at his luck, so that he didn't even think about squatting down and picking it up. As he straightened up, he found himself face-to-face with the old man, and he wasn't sure who looked more surprised.

"I BEG YOUR PARDON!" the man's voice boomed, making Link jump backwards. He still clutched the apple in his hand, ready to throw it at the old man should he prove to be violent. "I do believe that is my baked apple! You can't just go taking whatever you please!" While Link had been sure he was going to get a threat, all he'd received was a scolding. The man did seem upset, but not angry, and rather than worrying about his safety, he just felt bad about taking the apple.

Letting himself relax, he hung his head and shuffled forward carefully, then stretched out his hand and offered the apple back to the old man. He stared at the boy, his dark, hard eyes boring straight through him, and behind his thick, white beard and mustache, his expression was unreadable.

To Link's great surprise, the man began to laugh heartily. He looked up at him, confused, lowering his hand slowly.

"Forgive me, I couldn't help myself," he chuckled, folding his arms over his chest and loosening his stance. "Please, enjoy! An apple and an open flame is a recipe for a successful treat!"

Still puzzled, Link decided to pocket the apple in the satchel he carried on his belt. If he had been too foolish to remember the raw apples before, he wasn't going to chance losing this one. Reexamining the man, Link found that his demeanor calmed him, and whether it was a façade or not, he let it affect him. The man gestured for him to come into the hollow, and he obeyed. It was homey, although it was nothing more than a hole in the side of a mountain. There was a nice fire going where the rest of the fruit baked, and a makeshift bed formed of grass and leaves. It was covered nicely so that if it rained, anyone inside would stay dry. It was very shoddily put together, so it couldn't have been here for long, but it was as close to a home as Link had seen in a while.

"Please, take a seat," the man said, pointing to a stone on the opposite side of the fire. Link shrugged to himself and did as he was told. The old man sat across from him and continued to tend to the fruit, whistling to himself. Link fiddled with his hands for a moment, tapping his toes on the ground, unsure of what to say. It seemed the old man was enjoying making him uncomfortable, for he ignored him, only looking at him from the corner of his eye on occasion. Finally, he shifted to face Link head-on.

"So, it _is_ a bit of a surprise to see a fellow traveler these days," he began. His word choice made Link's brow raise.

Traveler? Who was this man?

"I need not be a concern of yours," he assured the boy, shaking his head. "I'm just a strange old man, that's all. One who has lived here, alone, for quite some time now." How long, Link wondered, but did not ask. He wondered if it was as long as he had been asleep. He doubted it. The more he thought about it, the longer he thought his slumber had been. "Enough of that," the man continued. "What about you, young one? What are you doing here?"

Link laughed lightly. He wished he knew the answer to that question. The man gave him a concerned look, which Link shook off. To be honest, he didn't even know where "here" was.

"Answering a question with a question, eh? That is fair enough," the man mused, seeming pleased. A smirk played across his hidden features. Link met his gaze, noting how much wisdom seemed to be kept behind their weariness. For whatever reason, he felt as though he could trust this person, though he had absolutely no reason why. "As I cannot imagine our meeting to be a simple coincidence… I shall tell you. This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule."

Hyrule… there was that name again. At least now he knew the voice in his head had some credibility. Almost as an afterthought, he ran his fingers over the Sheikah Slate. This strange tablet was certainly connected to all of this, and was going to answer a lot of his questions. He just had to figure out how to use it. He wondered if the old man might know something about it, but then again, it did seem like an important object, and maybe he shouldn't go showing it to everyone he came across. He needed to know more about this man first.

"See that temple there?" the old man asked, pointing out past the hollow. Link turned, expecting it to be the building he had spotted from atop the mountain before, but instead saw another, though just as rundown. It was much closer, and he was surprised he hadn't noticed it before. "Long ago, that was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Since the decline of the kingdom, it now sits abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self…"

Again, Link looked down the Sheikah Slate. He couldn't help but wonder if the stone had brought him to this man on purpose. True, the slate had done nothing in particular, but he couldn't help but feel it was affecting his decisions somehow. This man now seemed to be directing him toward the temple, and he couldn't just attribute it all to coincidence.

"So, traveler… if you are one for adventure, that seems as good a place as any to venture to, wouldn't you say?" the old man asked nonchalantly. There was a twinkle in his eye, and Link was sure he was being told where to go. But why? What business did this strange old man have at that strange old temple? And why send him there?

Was there something that he knew that Link didn't?

"I am sure there are many things I know that you don't, and the same goes for what you know," he chuckled. "But, I will tell you one thing. They say, all things begin and end in the Temple of Time. So if this is not the end of your story, it must be your beginning, wouldn't you agree?"

Link sighed. It wasn't the answer he wanted, but it was an answer. Either way, he wasn't going to get anything from pressing this man. He thanked him again for the apple, and then stood and took his leave. He could've sworn he heard the old man chuckling to himself as he left, but he didn't mind. Whatever his intentions, he did make a good point. Link had to start somewhere. Freeing the stick from his back, he started down the hill toward his first real destination.


	3. The Wild

The temple was much further away than it had seemed, Link realized as he walked. While it had looked rather large at the bottom of the hill, in reality it was a good mile from the foot of the already large mountain he'd been about halfway down. Luckily, most of the descent was uneventful. He passed the time by looking all around at the world sprawling before him. Everywhere he looked, there seemed to be about a million different places he could go. He couldn't help but notice similar-looking spires scattered about the horizon. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to them, but they were everywhere. They reminded him of lookout towers, though they seemed to be still and lifeless.

When he finally reached the bottom of the hill, he had to come to a stop. He heard a familiar chattering sound, and the noise made him cringe. Ducking behind the thick cover of some bushes and keeping as quiet as possible, he poked his head out to confirm that what he heard were the same monsters as before. He was unfortunately correct, and a frown crossed his expression as he realized there were, in fact, three of the creatures instead of just two, and this time, he was on the same level as them.

For a moment, he looked around, wondering if there was a way he could go to get to the temple that wouldn't cross their paths. He saw a rather tall mountain wall he could scale, but sizing it up he guessed he'd only get exhausted and pelted by rocks if he tried that way. He could feel the stick he carried pressing into his back, but he also saw some clubs sitting on a log near the monsters' camp. There was no way his tiny branch would stand much against an attack from those things. He cursed himself mentally for not looking around and finding a better weapon that a measly stick. He probably could've at least gotten a decently sized log from the old man's fire, but it was too late to go back now.

It then occurred to him that he might be able to get his hands on a better weapon, if only he could take the ones the monsters had sitting out. They seemed to be pretty simple creatures; if he could just sneak around the camp they had made here and grab at least one of the clubs and threw the other one far enough away, he was sure he could probably take them. Inhaling softly but deeply, Link lowered himself, dipping below the tall grass.

His footsteps were nearly silent as he calculated each step, placing his feet in the barest dirt possible. Careful not to tread on any branches or crunchy grass, he slowly made his way around the monsters' camp without being noticed. They seemed very intent on the fire they were building, and a large chunk of meat sat behind them. Link's mouth watered; he hadn't had something that hearty in a long while. Though the apple had been good, what he wouldn't have done for some beef. Well, if this excursion was successful, maybe he could take more than a couple clubs and peace of mind as a prize.

He didn't raise his head until he was right beside the fallen tree the monsters were keeping their clubs. They still seemed to be unaware of his presence, so at least he could take them by surprise. Cautiously, he picked up one of the clubs. It was heavy, much heavier than it looked, and was full of nicks and missing chunks. It had been through a lot of battles, and some pretty harsh ones from the looks of it. Another deep breath entered Link's lungs. He knew what he needed to do, but it was going to draw attention. He placed this club in his left hand, and took up the other, fresher one in his right. It was go time.

Biting his lip, he threw his left hand over his shoulder, releasing the battered club and sending it flying behind him a good distance away. It landed with a loud _thud_ , immediately alerting the monsters and making them turn to look right at him. Their blue eyes pierced his own as their gazes met, and Link could see nothing but malice inside them.

 _Bokoblins._

The word hit him so suddenly he was surprised it had come from his own brain. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that was what the monsters were called. Before he could mull it over, the Bokoblins shrieked and went to grab hot coals from their fire. He knew he couldn't let that happen, so he did the only thing he could think to do: He jumped over the log and ran straight at them, brandishing the club with both hands

A loud shout erupted from him as he swung hard at the nearest Bokoblin's head, which sent it reeling off to the side. The hit was a good, solid one, but the thick-skulled creatures were going to be able to tolerate more than that. Getting them away from their fire was his first goal, however, and so he proceeded to strike at another one's torso, batting it off to the side as well.

The Bokoblin on the far side of the fire seemed to be alarmed by the assault, and rather than running to grab coals, it turned and ran the other way. Link shrugged inwardly; he didn't need to kill them, necessarily, just spook them to clear the path.

Unfortunately, it seemed the other two monsters were much more resilient, as they were back on their feet in mere seconds, squawking at him angrily. The one he'd hit in the head ambled around clumsily, as though the blow had disoriented, so he didn't focus on that one immediately. Instead, Link spun the club around in his hands and took another full swing at the other Bokoblin, smashing it in the chin and causing it to fly backwards and land hard on the ground. It let out a feeble growl and then went limp in the grass before exploding into a puff of purple smoke.

He didn't have time to try to understand what had just happened, as he heard the other monster moving not too far behind him. Without a pause, he twirled around, swinging his club around his whole body in an attempt to whack the final Bokoblin into purple smoke oblivion like its comrade. However, instead of the satisfying impact of wood on flesh, Link's arms were jolted by impact with something much harder.

While it had been stumbling around, the monster had found a wooden shield Link had neglected by the log where the clubs had been kept. The resistance was so unexpected and jarring that it ripped the club right out of his hands and sent it spinning. Both the Bokoblin and the boy watched as it fell onto the ground, then made eye contact with each other for a split second. They tore off toward the weapon at the same time, racing each other to the club. Link dove first, just barely grasping its tip before the Bokoblin landed on top of him.

There was a series of grunts and growls as the pair fought over the club, which ended with Link managing to get a good enough hold on it to smash its smaller end into the Bokoblin's nose. This released the monster's hold on both Link and the club, allowing him to stand and land a final blow on the creature to make it poof away. Breathing hard, he took a knee, using the club as support.

That had felt so oddly familiar, like fighting wasn't new to him. It couldn't be, he thought. After all, he had handled that weapon so well, though he had no recollection of ever using one. Shaking off the confusion, Link decided leaving the wooden shield would have been foolish, so he quickly picked it up and tried it on his arm. While he couldn't use it and hold the club at the same time, it felt comfortable on his forearm, like it belonged there, so he elected to keep it.

Getting back to his feet, he decided it was time to inspect the meat the Bokoblins had so generously left to him. It was still in good condition, he observed, and just needed to be heated up. He certainly had worked up an appetite, so a quick food break before continuing to the temple wouldn't hurt. Placing the club down by the fire, Link set to rolling the large slab of meat over to the fire and hoisting it up on the supports the Bokoblins had constructed. For being so brutish, they weren't bad when it came to setting up a camp.

The savory scent of beef floated into Link's nose as the meat began to cook. He could hardly wait, but a large slab such as this would take time to cook thoroughly. He wished the old man could see him now, making a meal at least five times as great as baked fruit. Still, he couldn't forsake the snack and was glad he could now keep it for later. He turned the meat around on its perch, heating another side of it now. He had to remind himself the wait would be worth it, and spoiling his appetite with the apple not only would take up room in his stomach but also be a waste of a resource for later.

The crackling of the fire was so comforting and encompassing that Link almost didn't hear the rustling of grass as something approached him from his left. He happened to glance in that direction to see the Bokoblin he'd let run away approaching rapidly, holding… something in its hand. Not having enough time to grab the club, he quickly slipped the shield onto his arm and jumped back from the fire, just in time to catch something sharp on the shield.

It took him a moment to register the Bokoblin had just sunk a metal sword into the wooden shield, and he was very glad he'd kept it on his person. The two yanked apart, but the monster immediately took another swing. Link ducked down to avoid this one, not wanting to get locked onto the creature's weapon again. This was dangerous; he couldn't fight with the club and protect himself, so he had to choose one or the other. Fresh for the fight, the Bokoblin was going to have more energy than he had, so wearing it down by blocking its blows wasn't really an option. But the club was so far away, running to get it would pose a great risk. He decided to improvise.

Taking turns between dodging and catching swings, he edged his way closer to the fire. Keeping a close eye on its proximity, he forced the Bokoblin to follow him around it until he was positioned just where he wanted to be. In one fluid motion, Link sidestepped a slice and kicked the club hard into the fire. It shot in, and the wood crackled as it was set aflame. It rolled just as he predicted, tumbling toward the Bokoblin. Surprised, it hopped back to avoid the rolling stick of fire, letting it roll into the grass.

Utilizing this distraction, Link freed the stick he was still carrying on his back. Leaping around the other side of the fire, he aimed a pointed strike at the Bokoblin's side. The attack caught it off-guard, making it stagger backwards. It growled, then lunged forward with its sword again. He again caught this on the shield, but was able to push the weapon away to take a few whacks at the monster with his stick. It wasn't the most effective weapon, but if he could just fluster it enough to drop the sword…

The crackling of the fire seemed to grow louder with their exchanging of blows. In fact, it seemed to smell a lot stronger too. As Link stepped back to avoid another swing, he took a second to look back towards the fire. Rather than seeing it contained to the one place, it seemed the club had had other ideas. The tall grass took to the flames well and it was spreading, fast. Link's eyes widened and he gasped audibly. The Bokoblin seemed to recognize his genuine shock and followed his gaze, also letting out a surprised squeak at the sight of the spreading fire.

Link took advantage of this momentary pause to smack the monster hard with his shield, successfully making it drop the sword. Dropping his stick, he retrieved the sword and threw it onto his back along with the shield before taking off towards the nearest cliff he thought scalable. He leapt at it, scrambling up its side as quickly as his legs would carry him. He heard the indignant grunts of the Bokoblin below him, and made the mistake of looking back to see it climbing up after him.

That wouldn't do. He paused, waiting for the monster to catch up. For a fleeting second, he thought the mutual danger was going to make them temporary comrades, but he was quickly proven wrong. The creature immediately seized his ankle when it caught up, trying to pull him down. Fortunately, he was much stronger than the Bokoblin gave him credit for, and with a well-placed kick to the snout, it was sent tumbling down the mountainside and into the fire.

Though he quite hated that thing for trying to kill him, Link still couldn't bear to watch it get burned alive, so he turned his eyes skyward and pushed himself up the side of the wall. Though he was already sapped for energy, he made it over the ledge easily enough. He dared to look back down at the fire below just in time to see the stakes holding up the meat he'd been roasting collapse, dropping the meat into the ashes. Well, there went lunch.


	4. Guardian of the Temple

Link wondered if he should wait for the fire to exhaust itself or try to find a way around it to get to the temple. He scoured the area for an alternate path, seeing that this particular cliff extended itself past the fire's reach and a little bit closer to the temple. That was at least a start. Wiping his brow, he trotted down the hill, still too pumped up on adrenaline from his battle to walk at a reasonable pace.

Why had that been so exhilarating? For all intents and purposes, it should have been terrifying and something he hadn't at the very least mildly enjoyed. He could've easily been killed by that Bokoblin. And yet, it felt so comfortable to hold a weapon in one hand and a shield in the other, to take turns parrying blows with something. And not just something, but something also familiar. How had he been able to predict its attacks so effortlessly, like he'd done it before? He thought long and hard, trying to remember a time from before waking up in that strange cavern, but came up with nothing. Although he very well knew his own name and how to walk and cook and fight, he couldn't think of what he'd been doing before he woke up, or more importantly, before he'd fallen asleep.

Maybe the Temple of Time would give him some answers, he reasoned with himself. After all, the old man had said all stories began and ended there. It did make him question, however, whether this was his beginning or ending. How much had happened before he'd fallen asleep? Was this just the tail-end of his story that he was remembering and experiencing? How much came before it, if any?

The thought made him uncomfortable, and so he shook it from his mind as he reached the cliff's edge. Instead, he took to looking out from this point and seeing that a large lake was below him. The fire was still raging to his left, though it seemed to have lost steam. Still, he wasn't fond of venturing to that grassy area again, for fear of running into more monsters. He was tired, despite the thrill battling gave him, and he wasn't sure if he could handle a horde of them should he be particularly unlucky. They didn't seem to be the kind of creatures to travel solo, making him less eager to test his luck.

To his right were more jagged mountains of varying heights. If he did decide to go that way, he would have to climb a majority of the time, and he wasn't sure he was up to that either. He wiped his brow again, considering his options. Well, he was hot, and taking a dip in the water didn't sound too terrible. He considered its depth and temperature and decided it was definitely deep enough for him to jump in from this height, and he figured if it was cold it would encourage him to move forward more quickly.

Sitting down, Link pulled off his shoes and tied them together, then stripped off his shirt and rolled it up to fit in his satchel. Hanging his shoes around his neck, he stood and pulled off his pants as well and secured them in his pouch, hoping they wouldn't get too drenched. He wrapped his shirt inside the pants just in case. If he had to pick, he'd rather one set of clothes get drenched than both, and the pants were a little hardier.

Pulling his shoe laces tight to the back of his neck, he shuffled to the very tip of the cliff and looked down. Closing his eyes, he jumped off the ledge, falling feet-first into the water. It quickly rushed over his body, its chill raising the hair on his arms and legs immediately. He sunk for a moment, then opened an eye to see how foggy the water was. To his surprise, it was quite clear, and he could even make out the bottom of the lake several yards below him. He wondered if it still qualified as a lake if it was so deep.

Link turned his gaze upward to see the surface of the water wasn't too far from him. Releasing the shoes that were still anchored securely around his neck, he swam upwards. The feeling of water moving through his fingers and toes was relaxing, and he appreciated the way it seemed to lift the dirt and sweat from his skin. His hair floated beside him, the tip of his ponytail tickling the nape of his neck but not getting tangled in the shoes' laces. He felt so weightless and carefree in the water, and couldn't help but be reminded of the feeling he'd had inside that strange bed in the cavern he'd woken from.

His head broke the surface of the water and air filled his lungs, making the back of his throat go raw. The sun sparkled on the glassy lake and felt soothing on his face, making a grin pull on the corners of his mouth. He treaded water there for a moment, taking in the feeling and again observing his surroundings. Everything looked so big from down here. The mountain he'd jumped from was much higher than he'd though while up there, and even further back he could see the edge he'd first stood on when he'd come out from the cavern. Somewhere up there was the old man, and Link wondered if he would laugh at him for jumping in the water like a child. He chuckled to himself, then set his sights forward again.

Just up a small hill stood the temple, its shadows casting darkness over the grass. It appeared much more broken up close, with huge chunks of wall on the ground. What was inside was still hidden from him, and so he swam forward, coming up on the bank and sitting there a moment to dry before putting his clothes back on and heading up.

Out of curiosity, Link looked over his shoulder back at the forest he'd come from to see thin clouds of smoke drifting far away. That was the remnant of his fire, he thought with relief. At least it hadn't done too much damage. He turned forward and nearly tripped when he saw a giant, spiderlike creature sprawled out before him.

The sight of the thing nearly gave him a heart attack. It didn't seem natural, what with its intricate detailing and lack of anything Link could call alive. However, it had six very long legs spread out in every direction. It towered over him, at least two or three times his size, and he could have easily wrapped five of his own bodies around its fatter bottom half. It took him a moment to realize that, whatever it was, seemed to be stone, with grass overgrown on it. It looked as though it had been there a very long time and was turning to nature itself.

The most unsettling part, however, was the crystal atop its smaller section. It resembled an eye, and it was frozen in place, staring right at him. He made the mistake of looking at it too long, to the point where he felt that it was following his every step. Whatever it was, though it was unmoving now, gave him the feeling that it had once been very much alive, if not sentient. His curiosity tortured him to no end, forcing him to slowly approach the creature, if he could even call it that. His hand extended without his conscious effort, fingertips just hovering over its rocklike body.

 _Snap._

Link's hand retracted so quickly it was as if it had disappeared and reappeared at his side. His eyes cut to slits as he turned his head in the direction of the sound, which had come from the temple. It wasn't too far away now, perhaps a couple yards, close enough that he could hear something moving inside it. As cautiously and quietly as he had before with the Bokoblins, he walked forward, making barely a sound as he raised his hand to rest it on the hilt of his sword.

Link entered the Temple of Time, walking through where a wall should have been but existed no longer. There were many windows and few holes in the walls as well, letting in plenty of sunlight, but the shadows inside the temple made it hard to see anything distinguishable. He stood still for a moment, listening hard for another sound from whatever he'd thought he'd heard inside. All was still, and there was no sign of anyone having been inside in years.

He relaxed, now sure whatever he'd heard was simply part of the building falling off and hitting the ground. There sure was enough debris to make a case for that, at any rate. Now calm, he released his hold on his sword and stepped further into the temple. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the lack of light when they finally focused on something interesting. To his left was a statue of some nature, humanlike in appearance, but appearing far more grandiose. It seemed like a female, whose sweet smile reached her eyes. The look she gave him made Link's breath catch, and his brow furrowed softly. Who was this woman?

"Who's there?"

The voice rang out and echoed off the stone walls of the temple, setting Link's nerves on edge once more. Perhaps he should've trusted his initial instincts after all. However, it occurred to him the voice wasn't coming from the statue, rather somewhere else in the temple. Choosing to trust his instincts this time, he ducked down behind some rubble and inched closer to the statue to hide behind it.

"You can't hide forever. Reveal yourself now!"

The voice was strong and hard to distinguish as male or female. It was low, but he couldn't describe it as a man with any certainty. Either way, it was demanding and harsh, and following its commands didn't seem to be advantageous. He stayed low to the ground, now fully behind the temple where he could press his back up against it and peek around its side to try and find the speaker. He stayed quiet, hoping his silence would force the other to continue talking. He was correct.

"Do you really think you can hide from me? My people have been guarding this temple since it was created," the voice rang out, seeming to be holding a smirk of confidence in its tone. "I know this place like the back of my hand and saw you come in. I know you're near the statue of Goddess Hylia. So come out before I make you."

Goddess… Hylia? Link couldn't help but gasp at the name. It seemed familiar, too, but still didn't seem to be the name he was looking for. It caught him off-guard all the same, and so when a figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere beside him, he had no time to react as it pulled him out from behind the statue and pinned it against its front, plastering him in the light.

The figure that held him in place was thin, tall, and strong. Its face was shrouded in the shadows of the cloak it wore, a hood concealing most of its features. From what little he could tell, their skin was dark, but the only part that was visible were the fingers that were screwed up in his shirt as he was restrained. The clothes the figure wore were strange: dark blue, and decorated with gold detailing. Again, most of it was hidden in their black cloak. It, too, was interesting, with white and red symbols scattered across it, none of which made any sense to him.

"Caught you, little rat," the figure growled, voice still low and indiscernible. "Now, what are you doing in the Temple of Time?"

To be fair, he could ask them that same question.

The figure's grip tightened on him, pressing his chest hard and restricting his breath.

"I don't think you're in the position to be asking any questions, intruder," they hissed. "Now I'll ask you again, why are you here?"

He stayed quiet.

"Fine, if you won't tell me, then I'll skip to the part where I tell you to leave and never come back. Understand?"

He didn't understand. Why should he be taking orders from this person that wouldn't even show him their face?

The figure seemed exasperated to the point where they weren't thinking clearly. They loosened their grip on him, supposedly to slam him into the statue again, but he took advantage of the momentary release. He followed their momentum forward, snapping his free hand to their wrist and pulling their hand away from him. He followed suit with the other arm and gave the figure a shove to push them away. Surprised, the figure staggered backwards but was fast. They lunged forward, catching his bicep and twisting him so that his back was to them. With great force and a knee to the small of his back, the figure pulled him to the ground, pinning him in the dirt and giving him a mouthful of grass.

Link sputtered and struggled, but the stranger's hold was too strong. Eventually he gave up and laid there, dormant, but the figure's pressure didn't lessen.

"Not bad, intruder, but you're no match for a Sheikah," they snarled. Link's brows raised as he spit out some grass and tried not to inhale it. Sheikah!? He started to speak but the stranger took their free hand and used it to push his face back into the ground. He grunted and tried to get some words out of his mouth, but it sounded like nothing more than a struggle.

"I don't know what your intentions are, but you will not come to this sacred place and defile it!" the figure exclaimed, pressing Link's head down harder. Their fingers wrapped into his hair, giving them leverage over the position of his head and they made him turn his head to the side. He gasped for air, still trying to push himself off the ground, but the stranger wasn't giving him any chances to escape. "Who are you?"

He tried to say his name, but coughed instead.

"The longer you play games with me, the harder it's going to get to breathe, do you understand that?" the figure spat.

Not that that made him want to give them any answers.

Link. His name was Link.

The figure's grip loosened again, only to be reapplied with more force. Link grit his teeth to keep from giving them the satisfaction of a pained grunt.

"I said no more games!" they shouted. "Who are you really?!"

He'd told them! His name was Link!

The stranger made the same mistake again, releasing pressure to prepare to apply more. This time, however, Link wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. As soon as he felt them start to pull back, he dug his knees and hands into the ground and pushed himself up with all his might.

The force knocked the stranger off his back and sent them tumbling backwards, and he got to his feet and pulled his sword before the other had the chance to straighten up. They got up as quickly as they could, but in the effort, their hood fell from their head.

The figure was, in fact, a woman, though her expression was so severe and hostile it was hard to think of her as anything near feminine. She wore face paint, somewhat obscuring her appearance, but it seemed more ceremonial. Her hair was a pale blonde, pulled straight back and into a tight braid that disappeared into her cloak. Her ears were long like his own, but her features were much sharper and more pointed than his, and she had a look of someone who had fought many battles and seen many things.

Her red eyes narrowed as they fell upon his sword, then glanced up to match his.

"You would dare to pull a sword in this sacred place?" she growled, fists clenching tightly at her sides. "Hmph! And you think to call yourself that name! Being an intruder is one thing, but to forsake the gods like this is beyond dishonorable!"

Link wasn't sure if the woman had any weapons on her, but he was pretty sure she wasn't going to draw them on him in here. Still, if she was so bent on keeping this place safe, there had to be something here to protect, something that could help him.

What exactly was this place?

The woman scoffed. "You come in here and disrespect Goddess Hylia, then expect an explanation? Don't be foolish, boy."

Link took a step forward, but lowered his sword. He didn't mean to fight her, merely protect himself. He just wanted answers. Her gaze followed his blade but stopped at his hip. She gasped, taking a step back.

"You… That slate… It can't be…!" she stammered, looking between him and the Sheikah Slate. Her brow furrowed. "How do you have the Sheikah Slate? That is meant only for the—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the ground rumbled and nearly knocked them both off their feet. There was a terrible whirring sound followed by some clanking, and world shook again. Link looked around wildly, but could see nothing going on outside any of the windows. He'd seen a volcano before; perhaps that was erupting? But it was so far away, and this felt so near… and so different.

"Oh no," the woman whispered, looking past him. He wanted to hesitate, to not follow her eyes, but he knew he had to. He turned and his jaw dropped when he saw the strange towering creature from before still outside, but very much alive.

The dirt had fallen off it and all of its color had been restored. Its crystal eye spun around, scanning the area as it found its feet, stomping around clumsily until it regained its balance. And then, immediately, it focused on Link.

"Move!"

The woman had grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side just in time. A beam of energy had gathered at the creature's eye and rocketed forward, creating a gaping crater where Link had been standing. Now the two of them stood behind the statue of Goddess Hylia, but the creature clanked around outside.

What was that thing?

"A Guardian," the woman whispered. She glanced down at the Sheikah Slate before looking him in the eyes. Her expression was still harsh, but changed somehow. "Leave. Now. I will take care of things. We mustn't let it destroy the temple."

He agreed. Even though he knew nothing about it, he knew the Temple of Time was important. Whatever that Guardian was, he couldn't let it damage the building any more.

Before he could turn to make a break for it, the woman grabbed his shoulder and tore the Sheikah Slate free of its holster. He was ready to fight her for it, but she turned him back to face her and showed him the slate. She touched the eye's pupil and the lights on the slate began to change. They twisted and contorted until they resembled something like a map.

Link was taken aback, but had no time to express his surprise. The woman tapped on the corner of the map, making it expand, and then dragged a blue diamond over to the other side of the map.

"Go there. The slate will show you the way."

Link stared at her, but before he could ask any more questions, she had left his side. He peered out from behind the statue to see her approach the Guardian, making its attention focus on her rather than him. It tried to step on her, but she was far too quick for it, and even its beam didn't stand a chance.

He wanted to stay. He wanted to help. But the Sheikah Slate pulsated in his hands, the blue beacon calling for his attention. Whatever was there was going to answer his questions, not this woman. She knew that, and he knew it too. Whatever was at work here was much greater than either of them, and he had to do as he was told.

Link hoisted himself over the nearest windowsill, then ran. He ran until he reached the mountainside, and there he began to climb. He could hear the terrible sounds of the Guardian striking, but he did not hear the woman. He wasn't sure who Goddess Hylia was, but he prayed to her that the she would be safe. He climbed over the top of the small mountain, then slid down its other side, the tremors of the Guardian disappearing behind him.


	5. The Forest Guide

Link came to an abrupt halt, his feet skidding in the dirt as he tried to stop his momentum from tumbling down the hill. As he came to a stop, his breath finally slowed, though he could feel his pulse pounding through his skull. What _was_ that thing? The strange woman had called it a Guardian, but that told him almost nothing about why it existed, and why it seemed to have bloodlust for him. And who had that woman been in the first place? What was the connection between her and the Sheikah Slate, which she seemed to know much more about than him? Had she been the one to put him in that chamber?

He shook off the thoughts, knowing none of those answers would come to him now. He couldn't go back, and he couldn't stick around here; the only thing he could do was head for the spot marked on the slate. Pulling it off its holster, he tapped it and watched as its eye faded away and lit up with a map of the area. A little dot blinked and he looked around at the mountains surrounding him. Yes, that little dot was supposed to be him. And then there was the blue diamond the woman had told him to go to. Judging by its location relative to his own, it was supposedly back the way he came, but much further west than he had traveled.

Link looked up at the mountainside he had just descended from. Sure, he could surmount it again, but then he would have to deal with the Guardian and that woman. As much as he wanted to go back and help, he was sure she wouldn't appreciate it. He would have to go the long way around to avoid danger, which made him sigh. His feet already ached from all the walking he'd done, especially when he considered he had no idea when the last time he'd walked even was.

Taking a look at his prospective path, it wasn't a journey he could make in what was left of the day, so he might as well get a start on it. Finding a place to stay the night, however, would be difficult. Shaking his head, he decided he had to get moving at the very least, so he readjusted his sword and shield on his back, then marched forward, keeping the Sheikah Slate tightly in hand.

Even though the Guardian was no doubt right on the other side of the mountain, things seemed so peaceful over here. The birds chirped as though nothing dangerous ever happened here, and a creak babbled by without a care in the world. Link walked along it, pausing briefly to kneel and take a drink from it. The water was cool and clear, and eased the burning in the back of his throat. He could've taken several more handfuls, but the desire to press onward kept him moving.

Eventually, the mountain pass opened up into a valley, and hesitantly he rounded the side of the mountain to peek into the valley he had once been in. The Temple of Time was merely a speck many, many yards away, but everything there seemed calm. There were no explosions nor anything rushing toward him, or anywhere. A lump formed in his throat as he wondered if the woman had escaped safely. He wanted to go check, but it then occurred to him that, if the worst had happened, he had no way of fending off the Guardian on his own. He sighed heavily, lingered there staring at the temple for a moment longer, then turned away and kept down his path.

It didn't take long for the valley to give way to another forest, and although Link was hesitant to head into Bokoblin territory, the path toward the marker on the Sheikah Slate didn't give him much choice. He switched the slate into his left hand so he could more easily access his sword should he need it, but the quiet ambience of the forest suggested there wouldn't be any fighting here. There were several creatures in the forest, but none of them were hostile. Little squirrels scampered on the forest floor and into trees as Link walked by, and birds flitted to and from branches above his head. There were even some deer in a clearing not too far way, which looked up as he neared them. They stared at him a moment, then quickly bounded off, making him chuckle. He had no intention of hurting them. They were too majestic.

As he crunched through the woods, he couldn't ignore the light grumbling that came from his stomach. It roared with displeasure, reminding him of the wonderful hunk of meat he'd had to leave behind when he'd fought that first set of Bokoblins. He groaned, disappointed in himself for not at least saving a slab, but there wasn't much he could do about it now. And he certainly couldn't afford the time or energy to go looking for another Bokoblin camp to steal meat from.

So wrapped up in his hunger and his thoughts, the young man almost missed the subtle movement in the bushes as he passed by them. Usually, he would have passed it off as nothing, but something about the way the bushes moved was different. It was too much to be something rodent-like, like a rabbit, but it wasn't large enough to be a cause of major concern, like a Bokoblin. But it was enough to get Link's attention. He stopped and turned to the bush, cocking a brow. As he watched it, it of course refused to move, but he could have sworn he heard it make a sound. Frowning, he silently pulled his sword from his back, then gingerly poked its tip into the bush.

"YIKES!"

The scream was so sudden that it made Link jump back, trip on a rock, and fall flat on his back side. He was scrambling to his feet when the source of the sound came tumbling out of the bush, and what he saw he couldn't believe. It was like a tiny trunk of a tree had come to life. It had stubby, little twig-like arms and legs, and came to two points at the top of its body like little cat ears. Rather than a face, it had a leaf for a mask, where holes had been carved out for eyes and a mouth, and a part of its body stuck through the leaf to a point, resembling a nose. It chortled, flustered, brandishing the tiniest twig he had ever seen, and he had to stop himself from laughing at the sight.

"Watch where you are sticking those things, would you!?" the creature yelped, swinging its twig wildly. "You almost took my arm off!"

This time Link did laugh. He stayed on the ground, unable to stop laughing long enough to stand in spite of himself. The creature was absolutely adorable, and not even as tall as he was sitting on the ground. It must have realized he was laughing at it, for it stopped swinging its twig and looked at him with a confused expression. It tilted its head – which was to say, its entire body – and it jingled like it was made of bells.

"Wait, can you actually see me?" it asked, and Link calmed his laughing enough to nod. "And you can understand me?" Link nodded again. "Really!?" The creature squealed and hopped up and down excitedly. Link took this opportunity to stand, though he regarded his new companion with skepticism, especially at its newfound joy.

Again, the creature was perceptive of his reactions to it, for it looked up at him and stopped dancing around.

"My apologies," it cooed. "I am just not used to people being able to see me, much less reply! Usually we don't see people in these parts, and if we do, they are so ready to get out that we never have time to talk!"

Link chuckled quietly. Well, he wasn't necessarily in a hurry to get out.

"What brings you to the woods? It is not a common destination for normal folk," the creature asked.

Link simply shrugged. He was looking for something, but he really didn't know where he was going.

"Hmm… well, perhaps I could offer you assistance! I know the woods like the back of my hand!" Link looked skeptical again, noting the creature didn't have hands. "Oh, I have not yet introduced myself, how rude! My name is Balik, and I am a Korok of the Faron Woods. What's you're name?"

He hesitated only a moment. Something about all that felt very familiar. But yes, his name. That was one thing he did know. His name was Link.

"Link?" Balik considered this for a moment. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Link! Though, I do think I shall call you Mr. Swordsman. It seems much more appropriate. Now, do you know what you're looking for?"

He was unsure how much he should tell the Korok. After all, the Sheikah Slate seemed very important based on that one woman's reaction to it, and showing it off to the wrong people could get it – or him – into trouble. He doubted Balik would be any trouble, but it was a better practice to keep as much information to himself as he could.

He was simply looking for a place to call it a night as he traveled west. A bite to eat wouldn't hurt, either.

"Hmm… well, I could take you to see…" Balik's voice trailed off as he thought. "Hmm, no, perhaps not. Unfortunately, there are not many safe places for humans in the forest, especially at night. There are many monsters, and although some do sleep, there are many who do not."

Link shrugged, returning his sword to his back. He wasn't too terribly worried about monsters.

"Well, if that is your attitude, Mr. Swordsman…" Balik teased. Link chuckled. "We have been having some issues with this Bokoblin tribe not too far from here. They managed to strip an entire tree of its branches and make a sturdy treehouse, with no signs of leaving. They terrorize my brothers and hunt innocent wildlife. It might make a nice place to stay for the night, if only the Bokoblins weren't there."

Link frowned. He wanted to help, and the sound of a treehouse for the evening was nice, but who knew how many Bokoblins were included in a _tribe_ of them. And fighting anything from down below always put one at a disadvantage.

"Hmm…" Balik purred, then perked up. "I _might_ know of something that could help you if you wanted to clear them out. We Koroks are very peaceful, but that does not mean we understand the necessity of force when brutes call for it."

Link laughed again. Sure, why not? If it was something to help him fend off Bokoblins, he could at least try to clear them out of the woods. In the grand scheme of things, too, a tool to help him get rid of the monsters would always be appreciated.

Balik chirped happily then beckoned to be followed, and so Link did as he was told. They zigged around some trees and through some short bushes, and he was sure he would lose the Korok in the tall grass. Luckily, the jingling sound the creature made as it walked also made it easy to follow, and so he trusted his ears rather than his eyes to find his way through the forest.

As Balik sped ahead, Link took his time strolling through the forest, sure that he had plenty of time before the sun set. It was definitely getting low in the sky now, but he wagered he would have plenty of opportunity to chase the Bokoblins out of their treehouse before dusk. Rather, he took in the sights and the smells, following the sunlight filtering in through the trees with his eyes.

He nearly stepped on Balik when the small Korok came to a sudden stop in front of him, making him stumble to catch himself. The creature bounced excitedly, pointing ahead.

"There!" it exclaimed. "Look inside!"

Ahead, Link could see a wooden chest, similar to the ones he had encountered inside that strange chamber he'd woken up in, but it was much more humble, like a simple creature had crafted it. He stepped forward and cracked it open to find a leather quiver inside, with perhaps 20 wooden arrows, and a wooden bow. He plucked the items out of the chest and turned back to Balik.

"Those should give you an advantage against the Bokoblins from a distance!" Balik explained. "Then you can chase them out of the tree with ease and take them out with your sword!"

Link considered this, then nodded, fastening the quiver around his hips. He looked around for something to test the arrows on, fixating his gaze on a short tree stump several yards away. Slipping an arrow from his back, he knocked it on the bow's string, then pulled it taut. The movement felt so natural as he lifted the bow to the side of his head and lined his eye down the shaft of the arrow. The arrowhead hovered just above his target, and then he released. With a satisfying _whoosh_ it sailed through the air, then sunk into the bark of the tree with a _shunk!_

Link let out a satisfied grunt, smiling down at Balik, who stared in wonder between him and the arrow in the tree. Without a word, he went to the arrow and yanked it from stump before replacing it in his quiver and slinging the bow over his shoulder.

They should be getting to that treehouse, then.

"Right! To the treehouse!" Balik nodded. "You sure are a sharp shooter, Mr. Swordsman. Those Bokoblins won't know what hit them!"

The two traveled in silence as they made their way toward the Bokoblins' treehouse. Casually, Link slipped the Sheikah Slate from its holster to check his new location, hoping he hadn't gone too far off the path to help Balik. To his surprise and relief, it looked as though he was much closer to the marker than he had been before, and as he looked up he saw he was still traveling toward the setting sun. So he had been westward bound all this time. At least that meant he didn't have to backtrack in the morning.

His pleasant thoughts came to an end as he heard the all-too-familiar sound of growling Bokoblins, and every muscle in his body tense. His teeth grit together as he looked high and low for the creatures, only stopping when his foot nudged Balik by mistake. The tiny Korok pointed its stubby arm up at a group of trees a few feet away, and sure enough, he saw them. There were four Bokoblins in the tree, which had been cleared of all its leaves and branches about halfway up the trunk. In their place was a wooden platform that sprawled out from the trunk, and it looked quite sturdy. There did not seem to be any kind of campfire or loot nearby, which suggested to him the Bokoblins kept their goods somewhere else. Well, once they were out of the way, maybe he would go looking for their spoils.

"I would love to stay, Mr. Swordsman, but Koroks and battle do not mix well!" Balik whispered hurriedly. "I wish you luck against them if you choose to fight, and should you ever need help in the Faron Woods again, I will be glad to assist you!" Balik gave him a short bow, which he returned with a head nod. Then the Korok very carefully waddled off back into the thick of the woods, disappearing from sight.

Now came the tricky question of how to remove the Bokoblins. Link was sure he could take out at least one by sinking an arrow into its head, but what would that do with the other three? Lowering himself to the ground so that he was barely visible beneath the tall grass, he slunk a little closer to the treehouse. It would do him no good if he couldn't tell what he was up against.

Closer inspection revealed that one Bokoblin had a bow strapped around its back, making him frown. That would have to be the one he would take out, but still that would alert the others, and nothing was stopping them from throwing their clubs or spears at him from above. He tried to focus on a strategy, but the monsters' constant chortling back and forth he found very distracting, as well as an obnoxious buzz nearby.

Brow furrowing, Link focused in on the buzzing sound, trying to identify it and where it came from. Scanning the trees, he soon found a hornet's nest dangling above the treehouse, and a small smirk pulled on the corner of his mouth. Maybe, if he was lucky, he wouldn't have to fight the Bokoblins at all. At the very least, he wouldn't have to fight them with the height disadvantage.

Swallowing, Link pulled the bow from his back and knocked another arrow. As quietly as he could manage, he lined up a shot straight at the hornet's nest. He waited until most of the Bokoblins were looking the other direction and then loosed the arrow. It sailed forth beautifully, arching just as he'd planned, and then struck right in the heart of the hive.

It wiggled back and forth precariously, then snapped. It plummeted to the floor of the treehouse, and a cloud of angry insects poured from within it. The Bokoblins shrieked in panic, running every which way to get away from the irate bugs. They howled as they were stung, and two eventually found their way down the latter and began running toward a nearby stream. The third Bokoblin simply jumped from the treehouse, whining as its legs buckled beneath it, then hobbled off after its comrades. As expected, the hornets chased after the monsters, following them all the way to the stream.

The hectic scrambling over, Link happily stood up straight and looked up at the treehouse, only to meet eyes with one more Bokoblin, waiting upon it. Muttering under his breath, Link realized it was the one with a bow, and it no doubt had noticed the arrow and figured out the sneak attack as it was happening. Rather than grab its own arrow to fire at him, however, it instead reached for a strange horn it wore around its neck and began to bring it to its face. _A warning signal._

Link loosed another arrow so quickly it was a blur in his bow as it whizzed forward and collided with the horn, knocking it clean out of the Bokoblin's grasp. Now angered, the monster took its own arrow and knocked it, aiming right at Link's head. Luckily, the boy was quick, ducking out of the way as the arrow flew over him. So the Bokoblin was aiming to kill. He wasn't exactly surprised.

However, the enemy archer was quick, knocking arrows far faster than he could as he had to dodge the incoming barrage. He studied the enemy's pattern, finding where the most downtime was, and then, in that gap, managed to free his own arrow from his quiver. By the time he had set it in his bow, another arrow was coming at him, and he had to leap out of the way to avoid its path. He rolled to his feet, and in one fluid movement, loosed the arrow.

It hit the Bokoblin straight in the middle of the face, making it fall backwards. There was the undeniable _poff_ as its body disintegrated to purple smoke, and Link let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Well, that was the end of that. Relaxing, he straightened up and headed for the treehouse. Carefully he climbed up and examined the space. It was rather large, but devoid of anything interesting except for the fallen hive. He quickly dumped that over the side of the treehouse, not wanting to invite the insects back.

His body ached slightly from all the strain he'd put it under that day, and he sat against the trunk of the tree, leaning his head back on it. His eyelids were heavy but his stomach was empty and he couldn't be sure the other Bokoblins wouldn't be back. He just needed a couple minutes to breathe, he thought, and then he'd get back to work. But for now, all he wanted to do was watch the sun set and dip the forest into the golden tones of twilight.


	6. The Tower of Resurrection

" _Link. I need you… to do me a favor."_

 _Her voice cut through the silence of the world around him, reverberating in his mind. It was soft, gentle, hesitant. He could not see her, blackness enveloping his eyes. Her voice echoing in the darkness… it all felt so familiar. Her voice… whoever she was… he should recognize it, but he could not recall a face or a name. Only her voice._

" _You came."_

 _Of course he had come, he thought. He had never not come when she called him. Why he knew that, he could not say._

" _I know, silly. I just..." She paused. "I have something to ask of you."_

 _Slowly, the world came into focus. They were in the forest, tall trees towering above them and thick leaves blocking the sun's rays from their eyes. Link faced the girl speaking to him, but she did not return his gaze. She was a blur, a curtain of blonde hair hiding her features from him. Still, she felt familiar._

" _There's something I need you to see. It's not far from here."_

 _He didn't question her request. She started off down a path, and he followed her. It was as though he was walking through water; everything was sluggish, and his body felt heavy. It was a struggle to move, but he seemed to be making the actions so effortlessly. It didn't feel as though he was in control of himself, more like he was watching the action from another's eyes._

 _He caught up with the girl easily, as she walked slowly, as though every step pained her. He tried to look at her, see her face, but she hid it from him. They walked in silence, and soon Link gave up trying to look at her. Whatever she wouldn't tell him wasn't going to be revealed simply by meeting her eyes._

 _As they walked, Link wondered how he knew her. The way he walked with her, how close they were, it made him feel as though they were very good friends. If that was the case, why couldn't he remember her? And why was she speaking to him now? Where were they headed? Why?_

 _His hand brushed against hers quite by accident, and he felt himself pull it away. Before it got far, her fingers threaded in between his and held his hand tightly. They turned down a path and started up a steep hill, and she squeezed his hand. He returned the gesture. Something about her presence warmed him, but the way she was acting made him concerned. What had brought this about?_

 _The hill eventually flattened out at the top, revealing an even taller mountain sitting upon its plateau. Link recognized this place, though his body didn't seem to. He felt his brows raise in surprise and confusion as they faced an ancient-looking cavern with mysterious blue lights and markings, and all at once he recalled where they were. This was the place he had woken up._

 _And still it was not familiar to his body. He felt his voice catch in his throat with a question, but he stopped himself. He allowed himself to be pulled along by the girl, who walked deliberately into the cavern. They carefully dropped down the first cliff, entering the hall. Link stopped, his hand slipping out of hers._

" _We're almost there, Link," the girl said, still not facing him. She, too, had stopped. "I'll explain everything, don't worry. Just… keep following me, okay?"_

 _Her voice. It was the voice that had woken him. That was why it felt so familiar. But as he thought about it, no, that wasn't why it felt familiar. It had felt familiar back then and it felt familiar now. Was this a memory from before he'd fallen asleep?_

 _Link sighed, but followed the girl. They proceeded deeper and deeper into the cavern, until finally it opened up into the chamber he remembered so well. He saw the stone bed where he'd woken up, but it seemed again that this version of himself was finding all of this to be new and surprising._

 _The girl mumbled something he didn't catch. He focused his attention on her again, so the rest of her words wouldn't be mumbled._

" _She said… should I ever think it necessary, I should bring you here."_

The first thing Link was aware of was that something wet had dripped on his nose. He twitched, sitting upright abruptly, and wrenched his eyes open. The tree above him was stopping most of the rain from drenching him, but one drop had stubbornly caught on a leaf and decided to peg him on the nose. He wiped his eyes, looking around at the forest. The soothing hiss of rain descending upon the treetops tried to lull him back to sleep, but he was very awake now. It was much lighter than it had been when he'd laid down, and he could only assume he'd slept through the night.

He stood, stretching and cracking his stiff bones. The treehouse had served as a very nice shelter, keeping any unwanted monsters out and protecting him from the storm. He smirked to himself when he thought back to how he had sniped the remaining Bokoblins from the safety of the treehouse as they had tried to return after being chased to the stream by hornets. Even the bugs hadn't come back to bother him.

As he went to retrieve his belongings, something clicked in the back of his head. It was a voice, a very small one, very quiet, but still there.

" _I should bring you here."_

It was her voice again, and suddenly he remembered his dream. Pausing, he flicked his hair out of his face and rubbed his temples, trying to recall what the girl had looked like. She was blonde… but that was all he could remember. Had he ever seen her face? Who was she? And what was that dream about?

He looked over to the pile of bones and fat sitting in the corner of the treehouse. Maybe there had been something wrong with the meat he had harvested from the boar he'd slain before going to bed. He shook his head. No, it felt stronger than that, like it wasn't just a dream. It couldn't have been a memory, though, could it have? After all, he couldn't remember anything past waking up in the strange chamber.

Maybe what he'd seen was all just spawned from the things he'd done. After all, there was the forest, which was where he was now, the chamber, which was the only thing he could really remember, and a strange girl's voice, which his subconscious had given a figure. Sighing, he decided that was as far along with the idea as he was going to get. If there was more to it than a dream, then hopefully he'd remember more soon.

Gathering up his belongings, Link tapped the Sheikah Slate and looked again for the beacon that strange woman had placed. It looked as though he just had to travel a bit southeast to get to it. He was still unsure of what this beacon was indicating and what he would find there, but blindly trusting the woman who had saved his life from that Guardian sounded like just as good a plan as any. He salvaged any meat from the boar that he could and put it in his satchel alongside his now-cold baked apple, fastened the Sheikah Slate to his belt, and headed down from the treehouse.

His walk through the forest was uneventful, sloshing through mud and tall grass and wiping the water from his forehead whenever it gathered too much because of his bangs. There was no sign of Balik or any other Koroks, nor any monsters or other wildlife. It seemed everything had taken shelter from the weather, and it would probably be wise for him to do the same. Although he slipped and slid all over as he walked, he kept pressing forward, determined to figure out whatever it was that had been marked on his slate.

The trees finally broke away, opening up to a valley, and as Link crossed into it, the rain slowly came to a stop. There were still plenty of clouds in the sky, but looking up, he could see where they too were breaking apart to reveal an endlessly blue sky. He smiled at the thought of the sun warming his skin again, and then very quickly his smile dropped.

Not too far in the distance, Link saw a very odd structure, one he was surprised he had not noticed before. The trees of the forest had blocked it from his view, and somehow it was nestled in between mountains just so he could not have seen it before. It was very tall, reaching higher than most of the mountains he had seen. It was too far away to see any detail, but it looked very large and important, and for a moment he was tempted to go to it.

He stopped abruptly and huffed at himself. No, no more distractions. He was going to go to wherever that spot on his Sheikah Slate was, and as if to prove that to himself, he pulled the slate from his side to examine it again. To his great surprise, when he lined up his sight with the map, he saw that the beacon was indicating something just a little ahead of him. He looked straight again, but all he could see was the towering structure. He cocked a brow. Perhaps examining this structure wasn't going to be a distraction after all.

As Link approached it, more details revealed themselves. It seemed to have the same ornate decorations as the chamber he'd awoken from, as well as the Sheikah Slate itself. Perhaps they were made by the same people? It wouldn't be surprising if a lot of the structures he saw were all made by the same people. This was the land of Hyrule, the voice had told him, so perhaps these structures were made by the Hylians. He frowned as he thought about this. The Temple of Time, on the other hand, had seemed so different, especially the statue of Goddess Hylia. So, if all the structures weren't made by the same people, why were some different, and who made what?

He laughed in spite of himself. How was he supposed to know anything about that? The only reason he knew this place was called Hyrule was because a voice in his head had told him so. In fact, that was the only reason he knew anything about _anything_ , in addition to the strange woman he'd known for less than ten minutes that he'd trusted his life with. He wasn't exactly in any position to be making any judgements.

Now at the base of the tower, Link took a few moments to walk around it, mostly to figure out how he was supposed to get up to the top. It was far too high to climb, and there didn't seem to be a ladder or stairs anywhere. However, there was definitely a platform up at the top of the tower, and when he checked the Sheikah Slate, it looked as though he was right on top of the beacon. This had to be the spot, but what was he supposed to do here?

Finally, in between two of the root-like legs spiraling out from the structure, he found a crevice that glowed with a familiar blue light. If he knew anything about these strange structures, it was that a glowing blue light always meant a way forward. Taking a deep breath and making sure his sword was still firmly on his back, he edged into the crevice and stood upon a circular pattern on the floor that pulsated with the blue light.

He stood there a moment, and just as he was convinced nothing was going to happen, he felt a tremor. Taking in a sharp breath, he widened his stance as the platform beneath him shifted, then began to raise off the ground. It started slow, and then after a second increased its speed exponentially. It took all of his self-control not to buckle down and grasp onto the edges of the platform for dear life, and just as quickly as it had moved, it slowed and came to a stop.

The platform slid easily into a spot on the platform at the top of the tower, revealing rather unexciting surroundings. In fact, the view from this spot, looking out over the wilderness, was much more enticing than whatever was on the platform itself, and it took Link a moment to pull himself away from one of the gates on the side of the platform to actually examine the tower itself.

It was pretty much devoid of anything, aside from the strange stalactite structure that dropped down from the awning above him. It reminded him strongly of the pedestal he had claimed the Sheikah Slate from, and his fingers brushed against the edge of the slate as he considered testing the two together.

"This is the Tower of Resurrection."

The voice hit him so suddenly that he jumped and instinctively threw a hand on the hilt of his sword. He looked around wildly, only to discover the voice was in his head. It was her again.

"This place was created just for you," the voice continued. "When you awoke, it came to life. It will awaken all the pieces. If you are to light Hyrule again, you must connect these pieces."

His brow furrowed. Pieces? Of what? He didn't expect the voice to explain, and she didn't.

"Place the Sheikah Slate in the pedestal, Link. It will light the way."

The slate was already in the palm of his hand before the voice had told him anything. He was skeptical. Yes, he had been listening to this voice, but for what? Should he have been? He couldn't think of anything the voice had done to earn his trust, but then again it also hadn't done anything to lose it. Obeying it just felt so natural, so it was no surprise to him to find himself already crossing to the pedestal with the Sheikah Slate outstretched.

It fit easily into the slot for it on the pedestal. At once, the blue light spread from the small, circular platform on the floor into the stalactite and the pedestal itself. It hummed with energy and flickered, and then something like a drop of water dropped from the stalactite and onto the Sheikah Slate. The tower rumbled and he caught himself on the pedestal, looking up just in time to see the light gather and burst from the top of the tower.

The light scattered across the sky, becoming nothing but glitter as it spread as far as his eyes could see, descending all around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Sheikah Slate fade, so he snatched it out of the pedestal and fastened it to his hip again before running to the platform's edge and leaning over the gate.

All over the ground, different colored lights appeared on structures he hadn't noticed before. Even the strange spire-buildings he'd noticed upon first leaving the Great Plateau began to sparkle with life.

"You have woken the Shrines of Trials."

The voice was calm, as though proud of what he'd done. He couldn't help but let a small smile pull on the corner of his mouth. He wasn't sure what a Shrine of Trials was, but it seemed like something he was supposed to do. And seeing the light spread across the world like that assured him it was a good thing he was doing.

There was another tremor, stronger than the last, and something like an explosion sounded behind him. The force of the second tremor nearly sent him tumbling over the edge of the gate, but he caught himself and spun around. On the far side of the platform, he could see another building on the horizon, much larger than where he was now. He quickly crossed the platform to get a better look, stopping dead in his tracks as he watched.

The building, which was sprawling and appeared to be a castle of some sort, became enveloped with a terrible black energy. It pulsated a terrible, glowing red light, billowing around the castle like an angry storm cloud. Its power seemed to ripple over the land, reaching him even so far away, and it sucked away his breath. He felt a cold pit form in his stomach, but couldn't force himself to tear his eyes away from the dark cloud.

As it writhed and curled outward, the tip of the cloud seemed to coalesce and begin to form a shape. A gasp left Link's throat as it formed a head and large, gaping maw, with a pair of crimson, glowing eyes appearing in the shadows. It turned, and even from far away, it looked at him, directly into his eyes and its gaze plunged into his soul. He felt sick, frozen.

All at once, the shroud collapsed and dissipated into nothing. The castle was a dark, empty husk once again, and whatever that energy had been, that monster, was gone. Link let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and had to catch himself on the pedestal to stop himself from falling over. Whatever that thing had been, it had seenhim. Not only that, but he felt as though it had been _looking_ for him. Worst of all, he felt like it knew him, and in return, he knew it.

"So now you've seen it."

Somehow exhausted from seeing the monster, Link at first wrote the voice off as the one inside his head. It took a moment of processing to realize the voice had sounded behind him, and didn't sound like the voice in his head at all. Mustering what strength he could, he turned around to find a familiar face.

"It had that much of an effect on you, huh?" the mysterious Sheikah woman from the Temple of Time commented, looking him over. "I guess that means you're really him, then."

Really who? He was too tired to ask any more.

"That thing you saw… that's the darkness that's been suppressing Hyrule for as long as we can remember," the woman continued. "It's the reason there are monsters running around, and why the kingdom of Hyrule fell."

Link recalled the state of the Temple of Time. It had been little more than ruins. Had that shadow monster done that? And what else had it destroyed?

"If you're here, then that can only mean one thing. You're here to put an end to that monster."

He had so many questions. Firstly, who was this woman, and while he was glad she had survived the Guardian, he wanted to know how. And what was this monster she was talking about? Why did him being here have anything to do with stopping it?

"Maybe you haven't connected the dots yet, but I'm not going to spell everything out for you," she continued, sighing. "I will tell you one thing, though. If you didn't notice, when you woke the Shrines of Trials, you also woke that monster. That means it knows you're here, and it's getting ready for you too. We don't have any time to waste."

What was a Shrine of Trials in the first place?

"I can't answer all of your questions now. Here." She threw something at him, and he caught it sloppily. It was cloth, and carefully he unfolded it to reveal a new pair of pants, boots, and a royal blue tunic, similar to the robes she wore. He looked up at her confused.

"We can't have you running around looking like that," she huffed, refusing to look at him. "Give me your slate."

His brow furrowed slightly, but he complied. She tapped on it a few times, then handed it back.

"I've placed a few more beacons for you. Those are the Shrines you should head to first. I also put Kakariko Village on your map. You should head there if you want more answers."

Wait, was he supposed to go to the Shrines first, or the village?

The woman shrugged.

"It doesn't really make a difference so long as you do _something_ ," she said. "We don't have a lot of time. Go to the Shrines, or come to the village. Either way, make progress."

The woman stepped back to the edge of the platform, then snapped her fingers and disappeared in a cloud of gray smoke. When the fog cleared, she was nowhere to be seen. Link looked down to the ground and all around the tower, but couldn't see her anywhere. Whatever Sheikah magic she had, it was pretty good.

He sighed and looked down at the Sheikah Slate. There were five places he could go, and according to the woman, he had to pick one immediately. He looked up from the slate to see two structures a good distance away pulsating with orange light. So were those the Shrines he'd awakened? Their beacons on the map seemed to suggest so. Starting there, then was as good a place as any.

What had he gotten himself into? He wondered this as he stepped back onto the circular platform that had brought him up. As he positioned himself, his eyes fell on the castle in the distance again. It was very still, but he could also feel the shadow monster's eyes on him again. He wasn't sure what that thing had been, but he did know one thing: He had to be the one to stop it.


End file.
